Practice device

ABSTRACT

A practice device is disclosed for attachment to a face mask of a football helmet or the like. The practice device includes a weighted body portion that has a flexible stem. A clip or clasp attaches the outer end of the stem to the face mask. The clasp attaches the device to the helmet in a manner so that the body portion of the device partially obstructs the helmet wearer&#39;s view and thereby allows the wearer to practice throwing a ball (or receiving) while view is obstructed.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to practice devices for the game of football, and more particularly, a device for simulating or creating a partial view obstruction while practicing the throwing of a football or catching a football in traffic.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The “quarterback” position in American football involves passing the football to teammates while opposing defensive players converge upon the quarterback. During pursuit of the quarterback, the defensive players usually diminish the quarterback's view of the field and ability to visually locate receivers or defenders. Receivers have similar field of view problems in that they must catch the football while opposing defensive players converge on the receiver—the defenders attempt to prevent successful completion of the pass from the quarterback.

There are other sports in which an athlete must execute a physical task in the presence of an opponent who distracts or diminishes the athlete's view and/or the athlete's ability to complete the task. Basketball is an example. Basketball players often make shots to the goal when an opposing player has his or her hand up in an attempt to block the shot or block the player's view.

The practice device disclosed here is intended to improve an athlete's ability to concentrate under the kind of view distractions described above. The device disclosed here is a training device that simulates these kinds of distractions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Disclosed below is a practice device that is intended to be used in connection with a football helmet, although other kinds of head wear may be substituted for the helmet, i.e, a different form of headwear (headband, hat, etc.) might be used in a certain kind of practice environment (particularly for other sports, like basketball).

With respect to the football helmet example, football helmets typically have face masks with a protective grid of bars and/or at least one protective bar that shields the wearer's face (the helmets worn by field goal specialists sometimes have a single, horizontal bar across the face). The practice device disclosed here is intended to be attached to the helmet's facemask or an equivalent means of attachment to an alternative form of headwear.

The practice device includes a body portion that has a weighted mass. A flexible stem portion is connected to the body portion. A clasp member (or clip) is connected to an outer end of the stem portion. The clasp member clips the device to the face mask bar, in a manner so that the body portion is supported by the flexible stem above the protective bar.

The body portion is shaped to create an outline that partially obstructs the helmet wearer's view looking forward, from inside to outside the helmet. For example, the outline of the body portion may be shaped to simulate or roughly approximate the outline of a football lineman or linebacker.

The flexible stem allows the body portion to wiggle or wobble while the wearer (i.e., a football player in a practice situation) practices the throwing ball. The purpose of the practice device is to teach the player to make accurate throws in the face of an oncoming rush of defensive players, i.e, it helps the player to “see” around defenders while throwing the ball, in pure practice situations, where the player (the quarterback) is practicing throwing the ball to a receiver downfield in a non-scrimmage situation.

As indicated above, the receiver could be using the device in the same way. The device partially obstructs the receiver's view as he or she attempts to catch the ball in a practice situation.

It is to be appreciated that, as a practice device, the device disclosed here may be used in connection with other kinds of headwear. In other words, it is not necessary to wear a football helmet during practices. There may be times when another form of headgear is worn, particularly, if the device is used for a sport different from football. In such case, the practice device can be adapted to such other forms of headwear.

The practice device could be molded from plastic. Different arrangements in mass or flexibility (stiffness) of the stem can be used to alter the wobble of the shape in the practice environment. The means for clipping the device to a helmet or other headgear could be changed to other equivalent forms that perform the same functionality.

The above summary will become better understood upon review of the accompanying drawings and description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings, like reference numerals and letters refer to like parts throughout the various views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view of a football helmet with the training device attached to a horizontal bar on the helmet's facemask;

FIG. 2 is a view of the training device (side view) detached from the helmet shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the training device (detached from the helmet);

FIG. 4 is another view, similar to FIG. 1, but shows the training device moved from its normal position (shown in FIG. 1); and;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring briefly to the drawings, and first to FIG. 1, shown generally at 10 is a training device in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 shows the training device 10 in a normal position. The training device 10 has a body portion, indicated at 12, and a clasp, indicated at 14. The clasp 14 is connected to the body 12 via a thin stem 16.

The body portion 12 creates a weighted mass on the end of the stem that moves during the course of using the device 10 to practice. The body portion 12 creates a visual obstruction. It is made of a size and shape that simulates the nature of visual impediments created by opposing players in the field of view. However, it is to be appreciated that the size and weight of the body portion 12 can change. In FIGS. 1-5, the training device 10 is shown as having a head portion 18 that also simulates the helmet and shoulders of opposing players (for football use).

The stem 16 can be altered in strength so that the body portion 12 moves in different ways. The stem 16 should be made of a sufficiently flexible material.

The clasp portion 14 can be made in different ways in order to facilitate convenient attachment to a facemask. Alternatively, it could be attached to a hat, or the brim of a hat, or some other device could be used to position the device 10 near the athlete's head, so that it can be used appropriately as a training device.

During preparing for an athletic contest, the athlete fixes one or more of the training devices 10 to the appropriate hat or helmet, etc. The athlete then engages in typical training activities. The resulting movement of the training device allows the athlete to learn to execute various skills and tasks associated with the sport, while being potentially distracted by the training device 10. With continued use, the athlete will improve his or her performance during live-game action.

The foregoing is not intended to limit the spirit and scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is intended to be limited only by the sub joined patent claims that follow, the interpretation of which is to be made in accordance with the well-established doctrines of patent claim interpretation. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A practice device for use in connection with a football helmet, the helmet having a facemask with at least one protective bar, the device comprising: a body portion; a flexible stem portion connected to said body portion; a clasp member connected to the stem portion for clipping said device to said facemask bar, in a manner so that said body portion is supported by said flexible stem above said protective bar, with said body portion being shaped to create an outline that partially blocks a helmet wearer's view from inside to outside said helmet.
 2. The device in claim 1, wherein said body portion has a weighted mass, to cause said body portion to wobble in a practice situation.
 3. A practice device for teaching a player to throw and catch a ball in an athletic sport, the practice device comprising: a body portion; a flexible stem portion connected to said body portion; means for connecting the stem portion to a player's headwear, in a manner so that said body portion is supported by said flexible stem.
 4. The device of claim 3, wherein said body portion has a weighted mass, to cause said body portion to wobble in a practice situation.
 5. The device of claim 3, wherein said means for connecting the stem portion to a player's headwear is a clasp member.
 6. The device of claim 3, wherein said player's headwear is a football helmet. 